I and I thought that stuff was okay, we used to stock that where I worked. Of course, I was always high, so Im not sure a pinch of valerian did anything "mood altering" to me, tasted alright though. When cannabis is legal nationwide, there are going to be a TON of these things.

/They sell "Kush" soda at the pot shops, but meh//Rather rip some hash or weed, if I could

neongoats:I wouldn't say one of these puts me to sleep, but I will say that it seems like I fall asleep easier, and sleep deeper if I drink one.

/used them to help pass out when switching off of third shift.

You can buy Valerian Root (the active ingredient in this stuff) capsules at any pharmacy, I use it if I am having insomnia ( which is usually once-twice a week). Diazepam (Valium) is more or less synthetic Valerian Root in it's chemical structure. You can also buy Valerian Root herbal tea.

In the '80's, the FDA abdicated it's responsibility for regulating anything that was not an approved medication (read "nutritional supplements") Wonder why all the scammers (other then regulated pharmaceutical companies) are3 the biggest source of television advertising revenue?

Ritalin and other drugs are regulated by the FDA, require a prescription, are given by doctors who are at least aware of their patients' physical problems, and come with black-box labels warning of the risks attendant on giving them to children under 18. That doesn't eliminate the dangers, or obviate the effects, but at least someone is aware of them.

Herbal supplements are unregulated except voluntarily by their manufacturers, are often "prescribed" by naturopaths or holistic healers who don't really know all the side effects of what they're giving, but who at least have their patients' best interests at heart, appreciate that they're giving out herbs and minerals with medical effects, and usually try to inform their patients of possible ill effects.

Energy drinks are unregulated by anyone, anywhere, any time. The public perception is that they are little more than soda/water drinks with an extra shot of caffeine or some kind of funny-sounding alternative--guarine? taurine? kola nut? They're usually marketed by the same soft drink companies that make regular soda, so why wouldn't someone think that Monster is just as safe as Coke or Gatorade? And since the marketing is directed at kids, who think danger is something that happens to someone else and usually in the movies, it's not like they're going to pay attention to tiny little type on the bottom of the can that says "should not be consumed by those under 18."

Maybe eventually someone will pay attention after a few more kids die; but probably not. Coca-Cola is a pretty powerful company.

crabsno termites:In the '80's, the FDA abdicated it's responsibility for regulating anything that was not an approved medication (read "nutritional supplements") Wonder why all the scammers (other then regulated pharmaceutical companies) are3 the biggest source of television advertising revenue?

They didn't abdicate in the 80's; lobbyists wrote an exemption into federal law in 1994 to keep them out of an area they'd been sniffing around and prosecuting in for a while.

katerbug72:I've never had those but I drank valerian tea once and it made me puke. I don't understand the appeal of all these medicinal drinks on the market these days.

Most teas make you puke on an empty stomach, and many will make you nauseous even on a full one if you're not used to them. Teas can be very strong, much stronger than coffee or energy drinks, although the tannins that make them so don't really have any medicinal properties beyond tasting more bitter. Once steeped for ~3-5 minutes, you've extracted as much caffeine and other oils as you ever will, the rest is just going to be tannins. You can definitely come to appreciate the taste, though.

Also, why is the entire article about energy drinks when the drink in question was a sleep-inducing drink? Did the reporter figure there was no possible other angle on the story than to shoehorn energy drinks in, because they both come in cans?

Hey, reporter, how about you tell us how schools and governors are getting concerned about the sugar in Pepsi sold on campus, too?